The Zero Waste Festival moves the transition towards a zero waste society as a response to the global eco-social crisis. It is a space to generate and share knowledge and foster social and economic progress, encouraging co-responsibility among public and private sectors and civil society. The aim is to promote the common good by standardising production and consumption models to ensure lower toxicity, reduce resource use, and encourage reuse and product lifecycle extension.
The festival offers innovative solutions and supports transformative agents in building a fairer, healthier, and waste- and toxin-free society.
Areas
Conferences
Hear the influential voices of those who are currently exploring the Zero Waste challenges in the scientific, social, economic, business, institutional and political fields.
Workshops
Be part of the solutions and take action together with representatives of the public administration, environmental and social organisations, and the economic sector.
Lab Space
Be inspired in a space prepared to generate interactions with a wide variety of pioneers and innovative projects. See it by yourself.
Artistic Space
A place for artistic and creative expressions. The Artistic Space will also host the celebration of the Rezerø Award’s 7th edition which will end with a concert for the festival’s closure.
Speakers
Jessica Roswall
Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience, and a Competitive Circular Economy since December 1, 2024. Previously, she was Sweden’s Minister for EU Affairs (2022–2024) and a member of the Swedish Parliament (2010–2022). She holds a law degree from Uppsala University and worked as a lawyer before entering politics.
Rosario Semenzato
She has a Master’s Degree in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the London School of Economics, and more than 10 years of experience promoting social and environmental impact projects for large companies and international organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank and the United Nations. As Project Manager of Born Green Generation (Health Care Without Harm Europe project), he is responsible for coordinating a multidisciplinary team with the goal of reducing exposure to single-use plastics and toxic chemicals in the first 1000 days.
Jordi Pigem
Jordi Pigem holds a doctorate in Philosophy from the University of Barcelona. He was coordinator of the magazine Integral and professor of the Masters in Holistic Science at Schumacher College (England). Among his works on ecology and our place in the world, Redescobrir el món (2nd ed. 2025), Conscience or collapse (2024), Así habla la Tierra (2022) and Vital Intelligence (2016) stand out.
Rosa García
Director General of Rezerø and PhD in Sustainability. Expert in the design and development of responsible consumption, waste prevention and circular economy projects. Coordinates the development of regulatory and fiscal proposals in the field of preventive waste management.
Esra Tat
Executive Director at Zero Waste Europe. With a background in Economics and Business Management, Esra has a track record of initiating and leading impactful initiatives in the field of movement building, environment and social innovation.
Bettina Heller
Textile Lead, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Bettina coordinates UNEP’s work on sustainability and circularity in the textile value chain. This includes work at global level (especially knowledge creation) and country project, for instance in Africa and Asia Pacific.
Janine Röling
Founder and president of Collectief Circulair Textiel (CCT), a Producer Responsibility Organisation advancing sustainability in the textiles sector. She specialises in inclusive governance and impactful Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems. Her work aims to drive the transition to a circular economy through innovative EPR models.
Pilar Chiva Rodríguez
Degree in Chemical Sciences from the University of Barcelona. More than twenty years of professional experience in the Catalan public administration, initially at the Catalan Energy Institute and later at the Catalan Waste Agency, where she has held several positions. She is currently director of the Circular Economy Area.
Miks Stūrītis
CEO of Deposit Refund System Operator (DIO) in Latvia from 2020. Has more than 15 years of senior management, business development and marketing experience in IT&T, construction, and logistics sectors.
Liina Kanarbik
Working in the circular economy department that is responsible for the waste and circular economy management in the city of Tallinn. She has contributed in creating a guidelines for organizing sustainable events in Tallinn including a regulation that allows only reusable dishes and cutlery at public events. At the moment Liina is responsible for developing Tallinn’s first circular economy development plan.
Tobias Bielenstein
Director of Public Relations, Sustainability and Communications of Genossenschaft Deutscher Brunnen. Expert in the reuse logistics for beverage containers.
Laura Reñaga
Engineer dedicated to the environment and sustainability. After more than fifteen years working as an environmental consultant, she has spent the last eight years in the Waste Management Department of Barcelona City Council, overseeing the implementation of the city’s Zero Waste Plan.
Jack McQuibban
Jack is the Head of Local Zero Waste Implementation at Zero Waste Europe. He coordinates ZWE and its 37 member organizations to help cities and businesses develop effective zero waste solutions. He led the creation of the Zero Waste Cities Certification and expanded its reach across Europe.
Celine Heldring
She holds a PhD in neurobiology and took part in a Dutch National ThinkTank accelerating the transition to a circular economy. Céline Heldring has been working as a senior policy advisor for the City of Amsterdam for the last six years. She specializes in waste prevention and extended producer responsibility. Currently she is coordinator of the waste prevention plan which primarily focusses on stimulating repair of electronics in the city.
Miguel Aranda da Silva
General Manager of SDR Portugal, responsible for the creation and management of the country’s Deposit and Refund System for non-reusable plastic and metal beverage containers. With extensive experience in waste management, he previously led teams at VEOLIA Portugal, VALORSUL, and VALORLIS. He holds a Master’s in Environmental Engineering.
Cinta Bosch
Graduated in Higher Industrial Engineering from the UPC, she has developed her professional career in the world of strategic consulting. He currently holds the position of Sustainability Manager at AECOC, the Association of Manufacturers and Distributors which, with 34,000 member companies, is one of the largest business associations in the country.
Xavier Balagué
Industrial engineer with 20 years of experience in waste management. Initially in the operation of mechanical-biological treatment plants and energy recovery plants. Currently covering the extended responsibility of the producer of domestic and commercial packaging as manager of Ecoembes in Catalonia, the Valencian Community and the Balearic Islands.
Marta Beltran
Project Director of Rezero focused on European and Catalan initiatives aimed at reducing toxicity and waste, with projects such as Nou Període, LIFE+ Rewine for wine bottle reuse, conscious consumption, and deposit systems.
Joan Marc Simon
Joan Marc is a social entrepreneur and author of many articles and books on the topic of zero waste. With 20 year long experience in zero waste and EU policies, he founded Zero Waste Europe in 2011, serves as board member of the Mission Zero Academy and the global steering committee of the Break Free From Plastic movement.
Eva de la Torre
President of New ERA and Director of New Solutions at Corplex, a European leader in reusable industrial packaging. Her experience includes roles as Strategic Accounts Director at Tetra Pak in Toronto (Canada) and Corporate Relations Manager at WWF, where she promoted sustainability and innovation projects.
Davide Mazzanti
Co-founder and managing director of Sykell, a Berlin-based company driving the transition to a circular economy. With experience in digital product development for companies like Vodafone and Qixxit, he specializes in innovation and growth. Sykell’s award-winning CIRCULAR ERP helps businesses scale globally while promoting environmental impact.
Alicia Valero Delgado
Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Zaragoza, leads the Industrial Ecology group at the Energaia Institute. For two decades, she has studied the depletion of Earth’s resources, developing the “Thanatia” theory. Her team works on solutions to this global challenge.
Fernando Rodríguez-Mata
Director General of the New European Reuse Alliance (New ERA), promoting reusable packaging solutions across Europe. He has experience in public affairs, circular economy, and packaging. He holds a Double Degree in Law and Business Administration from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid and a Master in European Law from Université Libre de Bruxelles.
Sophie Trentesaux
After 4 years in the food service sector in China, Sophie Trentesaux became passionate about reusable packaging in 2021. She helped restaurant chains transition to reuse with Pyxo and joined ETERNITY Systems in 2023 as Business Development Manager. The group has over 30 years of experience in reusable packaging services across 18 industrial sites globally.
Ferran Matarrodona
Founder, director, and commercial director of Ecofestes by Reuz, with over 20 years of experience helping event organisers in Spain, France, and Portugal become more sustainable by reducing plastic waste through the use of reusable cups and materials.
Theresa Kjell
Theresa Kjell is Head of Chemicals Policy at ChemSec with a Master of Science in Environmental Sciences. At ChemSec, she has engaged in the policy debate in many different aspects of chemicals and waste, from REACH and product directives to recycling relevant legislation. Theresa has a background of working for different types of chemical authorities, including national and international negotiations, implementation and enforcement. She also has in depth knowledge of chemicals management of companies, from engaging with the ChemSec Business Group to being a member of both the Apple and Lego Green Chemistry Advisory Boards.
Pierre Condamine
Overproduction campaigner at Friends of the Earth France. Currently focusing on reducing production levels in the fashion industry. Has been leading advocacy campaigns to reduce the environmental impact of products both at the European and French level for the past 8 years.
Karine De Batselier
Policy officer climate for the City of Bruges and coordinator of our sustainable foodstrategy “Brugge smaakt naar meer” and foodwaste prevention actions in particular.
Joel Tickner
Professor of Public Health at the University of Massachusetts Lowell where he leads a research group focused on science, policy, and strategy for advancing safer and more sustainable chemicals, materials, and products, the Sustainable Chemistry Catalyst of the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production. He is also the founder and executive director of Change Chemistry, a 130 member business organization of companies ranging from major retailers to brands and chemical suppliers focused on accelerating growth of sustainable chemistry across sectors.
Nati Yesares
Environmental scientist and Head of Environment at Solidança since 2009, with training in project management and extensive experience in municipal waste management, environmental education, and social economy projects. Responsible for the organisation’s innovation and circular economy projects, as well as for driving initiatives that promote the social economy and job opportunities for vulnerable groups.
Carlos Cebrian
Entrepreneur and founder of Lerolero, a circular wardrobe for children’s fashion by subscription that promotes clothing reuse and responsible consumption. With over 15 years of experience in the financial sector, both in the M&A team at Banco Santander and as Director of Large Companies in commercial banking, in 2021 he decided to make a career change and embark on an entrepreneurial journey to create a business model that adds value to families and generates a positive environmental impact.
Àgia Luna
La Vestuariteca is a stage costume recirculation project that gives theatre garments a second life by making use of companies’ full but underutilised storage spaces. It functions as a clothing library, providing a sustainable reuse space that promotes responsible consumption and makes resources accessible to companies and creators.
Mireia Ribas Mestres
Holds a degree in Pedagogy and a Graduate in Social Education. She has dedicated much of her professional career to the social field and to supporting teams of people to promote social change and create more opportunities. For the past seven years, she has been the Manager of Tapis, a company that has been managing second-hand textiles in Osona and Lluçanès for nearly 30 years, creating jobs in the region and seeking strategies for the highest possible circularity of this waste.
Miriam Ponsa
Miriam Ponsa is an activist and fashion designer who uses fashion as a tool for social transformation. Her collections, 100% produced in Catalonia, combine design and comfort for authentic women. Awarded several prizes, including the Creu de Sant Jordi, she advocates for a respectful consumption model and the revival of artisanal techniques.
Sònia Flotats
Sònia Flotats is a journalist specialising in ESG in the fashion and textile industry and the director of Move! Moda en Moviment, a platform promoting the sustainable transformation of the fashion industry. She organises meetings and forums to foster knowledge and idea exchange. Move! is supported by a network of patrons and partners.
Noelia Montero
Noelia Montero is a strategic consultant and trainer specialising in sustainability. As the coordinator of the consultancy service at the Fashion Association, she supports companies in improving their triple impact: economic, environmental, and social.
Music & Events
Metralleta (DJ)
Wednesday 26/03
14:00h
From the heart of the Colombian Pacific to the most vibrant sounds of Africa and the diaspora, Angela Blackburn aka Metralleta’s set is a journey through the energy of Afro-Latin and electropical music, and a tribute to the diversity of our roots.
6th edition of the Rezero Catalunya Awards – Rezero's 20th anniversary
Wednesday 26/03
18:15h
Award ceremony of the 6th edition of the Rezero Catalunya Awards ―which annually recognise the best zero waste initiatives in the categories of business, public administration, organisation, and commerce― and the 20th anniversary of the Rezero Foundation.
The event will be hosted by comedian Maria Rovira, better known as Oye Sherman.
Mogambo Live
Wednesday 26/03
19:00h
Mogambo Live was born from the fusion of the talents of two friends, Quico Rodríguez and Òscar Pardo. Their music combines synthesizers, drum groove, melancholic trumpet melodies, and all kinds of improvisations.
The Neighbour (DJ)
Thursday 27/03
13:30h
Gerard Fernández aka The Neighbour, is a regular DJ in Barcelona’s music scene. Since 2008, he has been exploring and sharing the richness of Black music at festivals and clubs worldwide.
Celebration of the Zero Waste Cities Certification
Thursday 27/03
17:00h
We will present and celebrate the municipalities and businesses working with the world’s first certification programme designed to accelerate Europe’s transition towards zero waste at the local level.
Koko-Jean & The Tonics
Thursday 27/03
18:00h
Koko-Jean & The Tonics is an explosive band that blends soul, rhythm & blues, and rock’n’roll with a powerhouse energy and an unstoppable live show. With their new album Love Child, they modernize their classic sound by diving into the essence of soul and the atmosphere of the ’70s.
Programme
Discover the themes of the Zero Waste Festival:
Well-being, sufficiency and resilience / Health and environment / Reuse systems and models / Towards prevention and circularity models for textiles / Zero waste municipalities and involved citizens / Extended producer responsibility / Celebration of the zero waste cities certification
Organisation
With the support of
Sponsored by
With the collaboration of
